its been quite some time since i have been doing strange things just like most does in the hobby.while most importantly i have been a gardener forever.and will remain so.keeping in mind all i wanted is a tank i did like old times -a tank with lush growth of plants rather than all those sticks and stones.Theres nothing like an old school nature aquarium,where wild colours could be portrayed,where i can feel nature at its best.Theres nothing like the fun we get while growing a variety of stems in super high lights.stems are infact way tough to get at optimum than carpets.lets take a look at this tank specifics.Tank size:1.5x1x1 feetsubstrate:fluval stratumLighting:55 watts osram pllCO2 injection is there as usual.filtration:External through fluval 206surface skimming instead of any airstone at night.

stocks:eleocharis sp mini aka belem hairgrassrotala nanjenshanrotala rotundifolia green and redalternanthera reineckii minihydrocotyle sibthorpoidespogostemon helferi,stellatus dassen,erectus.ludwigia arcuata,palustrisPearlweed just to add green touchstaurogyne repens blyxa japonica(which grows for some time and melts and recover but never dies these two have been there for a year with me but does that often )

2-the same day i decided to take action as the growth seems explosive.relocated 3 otos from 2.5 feeter and a black molly from tub and got result within a day. uprooted the 2 day old tonina belem as it was not tolerating K2CO3 dosing.this is a shot a the next day.90 percent are gone

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was relying to K+ and micros for a week before i noted slight growth of BGA and stunting of erectus tips.and that created the need of more nitrogen and so i switched on to ei for the last week.plants responded as they usually do with ferts flooded water column and this is the exponential phase truly.they just outcompted everything.nanjensahan which came as tiny bits of TC just blew away the repens.removed the black molly which uprooted many plants.thats more of a nuisance than an algae eater.tank now houses three otos and a sick angel struggling with flow from fluval filter.this is how it looks at the start of the photoperiod.

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at the end of the photoperiod,leaves the stem apex fold up

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and its time for some trimming.will do so and also post an update after regrowth.but here i wont shape things up as i want everything like wild................ let some take over at the expense of others....

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i like these tanks the best rather than the fancy ones..its nature at its best...plants competing for food and taking their natural way for survival of the fittest.welcome back to the world of stemmies rahul!

Regards,Subhadeep

aninda wrote:I believe in karma. That means I can do bad things to people I don't like and assume they deserved it.

SanamMarik wrote:looking really gud...btw why is that pinna floating?and if u trim reineckii mini, i am up for it...

the pinnatifida is a cutting from another tank.i had nowhere else to plant it.and thus its floating here

And yes will have 2 stems of mini soon.you can take it...

edluhar wrote:Hi RahulFor EI or any type of dosing how do you measure the chemical quantityDo you make solutions with fixed concentrations or do you go by weighing them or by tbsp and testing the waterRegards

i make stock solutions of each by weighing the salts in a balance.i never use it dry.And till now i dont test the water parameters.plant growth is the best indicator.